By Renee Zonka, R.D., CEC, CHE

This presentation on general healthy-cooking principles is an ideal introductory lesson that speaks to today’s wellness concerns.

“Nothing is poison and everything is poison; the difference is in the dose," said Theophrastus Philippus Aureolus (who called himself “Paracelsus”), a Swiss doctor and alchemist who lived from 1493 to 1541.

This lesson plan follows that principle, advocating moderation and instructing on methods of lowering fat and maintaining eating quality, cooking gluten-free, using natural sweeteners, modifying recipes and understanding product labels. Three separate recipe downloads—for a high-fiber, low-fat halibut dish featuring giant Peruvian limas and Scarlet Runner beans, pressure-cooked to lock in nutrition; a gluten-free Christmas beer cake; and a corn/crab chowder modified to lower calories and cholesterol, all written for the home cook—assist in applying understanding.

Renee Zonka is the associate dean of The School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College, Chicago.

Downloads: Healthy Cooking Tactics, Corn and Crab Chowder with Basil, Gluten-Free Christmas Beer Cake, Halibut with Savory Beans and Apple-Fennel Salad

Photo caption: Renee Zonka presented this lesson on healthy-cooking principles to 80 personal chefs at the American Personal & Private Chef Association’s 2010 Summit at Kendall College in February. Here she shows her Halibut with Savory Beans and Apple-Fennel Salad featuring pressure-cooked Giant Peruvian Limas and Scarlet Runner Beans from Indian Harvest (www.IndianHarvst.com).

By Christopher Koetke, MBA, CEC, CCE

Sometimes it’s all about language. Here are resources for teaching energy and water savings without having to use the “s” word.

When the topic of sustainability comes up, do your CEO’s eyes glaze over? Does the CFO look skyward and tiredly explain that there’s no room in the budget? Well, you might try turning the tables and hitting them right where it matters—on the balance sheet. Consider your audience and talk their talk. It will make your case and provide a good lesson for your students who will soon be out in the world and responsible for bringing sustainability to the companies that employ them.

By Wendy Gay, CHE

Of the five most common risk factors for causing foodborne illness, three are issues for the front of the house.

One of the most important responsibilities we have in foodservice is making certain that the food we serve is safe. When teaching food safety, most of the emphasis is usually placed on the supply chain and preparation of food. But the front of the house plays a significant role in keeping our tables safe.

By Adam Weiner

Says Chef Weiner, even in short classes, instructors must stop doing the mise en place themselves unless they plan on accompanying students to their first jobs.

There are five “P”s of professional cooking: Planning, Preparation, Presentation, Passion and Pride. Presentation and planning have appeared in past “50-Minute Classrooms.” Now, preparation.

I tell students that preparation (aka MISE EN PLACE) is everything. I start with an example of changing the oil in a car. You don't get under the car, climb out and get a wrench, climb back under and then climb out and go to the store to buy a filter, etc. You first get everything next to the car.

Brian Schreiber is almost famous. That’s because the Chicago-based Kendall College School of Culinary Arts student won the 8th-Annual S.Pellegrino® Almost Famous Chef® North Central Regional Competition on January 22 at The International Culinary School at The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.

Following the success of Sullivan University’s culinary team that traveled to Beijing to cook at the 2008 Olympic Games, the school’s National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) based in Louisville, Ky., is proud to announce that it will send another group of students, alumni and faculty to cook for the athletes at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The group, consisting of one chef instructor, three students and three alumni, will be part of the team providing food service at the two USA Houses, the hospitality centers for the U.S. Olympic Committee, sponsors, athletes and guests.

Twenty foodservice instructors from professional culinary schools across the country will further their cheese education this summer as they tour farms, cheese plants and restaurants in Wisconsin, the country's largest cheese producer.

By Harry J. Crane

The president of the Research Chefs Association encourages creative and science-minded students to explore Culinology®.

Your students may have a deep love for the culinary arts, and many may also have a desire to explore careers outside of foodservice. The growing area of food research and development (R&D) offers opportunities for those who want to expand their careers into this niche. Exploring the discipline of Culinology®—the blending of culinary arts and food science—is the first step toward becoming a research chef.

By Eric Stein, M.S., R.D.

Can the words “light,” “healthy” and “desserts” even be used in the same sentence? More than ever, chefs are proving that they can.

Most basic dessert recipes rely on just a few key ingredients, such as butter, granulated sugar, eggs, heavy cream, chocolate and flour. Although the outcome is usually tasty, these ingredients often result in desserts full of empty calories and few nutrients. In a time of calorie-conscious consumers, chefs are beginning to take basic dessert preparations and make them healthier through the use of ingredient alternatives and by adding nutrient-rich foods.

Courtesy of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board

Deadline for a new CAFÉ recipe contest featuring Wisconsin cheeses in healthful applications is April 1.

In our world of an overwhelming amount of information, some of us still don't have the right information! Such is the case among some culinary professionals and consumers when it comes to cheese and its healthfulness. Current food-trend information points to a high interest in healthfulness and well-being, a trend that many chefs are anxious to heed, so it's important to know the facts.

To put a misinformed rumor to rest, cheese is not a no-no in healthy diets—it absolutely can be part of a healthy diet, and not just reduced-fat styles, but the types of cheese restaurant patrons love—mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, blue and fontina, for example. Using cheese in moderation and choosing appropriate applications are the keys to keeping the succulent flavor of cheese on the menu while offering choices that fit with today's health-conscious diner.